One of the greatest attributes of Clansman Interiors is our wealth of experience in a range of sectors including a variety of different types of buildings. One of the most interesting yet intricate buildings to refurbish are historically listed buildings.
What is a historic A listed building?
A historically listed building is one which is protected by law due to its architecture and historical importance. As a result, any work being carried out must be done to the exact specifications of the owner of the building and special consent is required if the appearance is likely to alter in any way following the work.
Why do problems arise with historically listed buildings?
As stated, any work carried out on an A listed building requires listed building consent from the local authority that the building is situated under. However, there are many complex challenges that come with working on an old building.
When completing a refurbishment on an old building the original décor needs to be stripped out. During this process leaks from the roof for example that have been masked are often revealed, therefore causing unknown damage that must be investigated. This can slow down a project; however, it is better that the leak is discovered and can be fixed therefore preventing any further damage.
A lot of the materials used for historically listed buildings must match the original materials such as floorboards, ceilings, doors and brickwork. Sourcing of this material can be tricky as the originals could be from many years ago depending on the building age. This was something Clansman Interiors came across during a toilet refurbishment at Blackness Castle, Linlithgow.
As is the case with many A listed buildings such as castles, the stonework is original. This means that all projects must proceed with care so as not to damage the original masonry. This means using different methods of fixing fittings to ensure no damage occurs – where there’s a will there’s a way!
A particular issue we encountered with a recent refurbishment project at Linlithgow Palace was the small size of the washroom. This meant that only one person at a time could enter and work on the washroom therefore work was slower than it normally would be. Nevertheless, we were still able to get the job completed efficiently and on time.
Although involute, working on historically listed buildings is extremely interesting and makes for a very special project. Clansman Interiors are currently undertaking a project for Historic Environment Scotland which involves the refurbishment of washrooms across 7 different castles, palaces and abbeys in Scotland.
Read more about refurbishments and fit-outs Clansman Interiors have completed.
Contact Clansman
If you require a refurbishment of a listed building and need advice, Clansman have extensive experience and knowledge in this area and have completed a variety of projects of this nature on time and within budget since 1996.
Contact us on 0141 631 3000, email us or send us an enquiry.
